Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for deputising for the Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey. My issue this evening is the need for the Minister for Transport to clarify the timeframe for the implementation of the Claregalway bypass, as he indicated and promised in the programme for Government.

I trust the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, is familiar with the case. Claregalway is a village approximately 5 or 6 miles from Galway city, choked by daily traffic volumes of over 33,000 cars, as recorded by Galway County Council, the National Roads Authority, NRA, and other agencies. This brings the village to a halt and severely affects people's quality of life. At a public meeting a year ago one woman said she counts 41 cars before she can go out her gate. There have been fatalities over several years. There is mayhem at the local school of 200 children, which is at the junction of the N17 and the N18. The road is seriously dangerous. Local councillors — I was one — cannot provide local funds because these are national routes and the Department of Transport has not provided money to relieve the traffic.

It was embarrassing to see the numerous deputations that came to Galway County Council. Deputies Grealish and Fahey declared the promised land in the form of a bypass which is in the programme for Government. Meanwhile, local people provided local solutions with rat-runs. This is where the real danger lies and I fear lives will be lost. These rat-runs are Cregmore to Lydican, and Claregalway to Corandulla to Clonboo. The engineer for Galway County Council told me today that the problem is greater now on the N84, which is substandard at Clonboo, as a result of the traffic being diverted from Claregalway. There are traffic delays of three to four hours morning and evening in Claregalway. Growth in Tuam is stifled as a result of this traffic.

Claregalway was not considered a major inter-urban route although towns with lower traffic volumes have been bypassed, for example, Loughrea. It is time to widen the brief. The programme for Government contains a commitment to build a bypass in Claregalway. The N17 is not the answer for the number of people living in the rural hinterland who need daily access to the city. There are studies and traffic counts to support this point. Claregalway is ripe for development because of its strategic location and range of social, educational and commercial infrastructure but it is choked and needs a bypass.

When will the Minister for Transport sanction the money for the building of the Claregalway bypass as promised in the programme for Government? I checked the programme today in case it had gone away. I want an answer to that question this evening and I am not talking about the N17. When we have the answer we will be able to work out the timeframe for the delivery of the bypass because we know that tenders, contracts etc. need to be worked out. I want no fudges, just facts because we have had many broken promises. Galway County Council submitted a preliminary report on the by-pass route to the Minister seeking €20 million. That bypass would comprise a 5 km road, one major bridge and five roundabouts.

Within the past month a red herring was thrown in to the pot at a county council meeting. I want the Minister of State, at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Killeen, to tell me the truth tonight. Does the Department of Transport plan to sanction 100% of these moneys or will it expect a local development contribution? If so, what percentage does it expect that contribution to be? I have heard a figure of 20% local money and 80% from the Department of Transport.

If the Department seeks a local contribution that will require a vote from members of Galway County Council to raise a loan for that 20%. To do that we will need to get the members of the county council who are not local to Claregalway on our side which will involve considering the broad transport needs of the county. Galway County Council has submitted 22 capital schemes to the Department of Transport that would amount to €300 million. This would include Barna, Spiddal, Oughterard and the Oranmore dual carriageway. The county manager wants to know whether the Department of Transport is willing to work with Galway County Council on the basis that it will provide 80% of the money. Galway County Council would need to raise €60 million, being 20% of €300 million, over the next five to ten years, at a rate of approximately €10 million a year. The Department would need to fund the balance of €50 million a year over six years. This is a red herring because it will slow down the by-pass. The county manager says that if the Department does not work with the council on this issue it will stifle growth in County Galway.